SPRINGFIELD – City Councilor Bud L. Williams has sponsored a home rule bill, that if approved by the city and state, would be a first step toward requiring school administrators to live in Springfield as a condition of their employment.

Currently, the school administrators, including principals, assistant principals, directors, supervisors and professional employees, are exempted by state law from having to live in the city where they work.

Bud L. Williams

Williams’ proposal, affecting just Springfield, is set to be considered by the full council at its meeting Monday, at 7 p.m., in the council chambers at City Hall.

“If you work for the city, you should reside in the city, have pride to live in the city, and should help spur economic development by purchasing homes and shopping in the community,” Williams said.

Under his home rule bill, Williams said he would seek an exception to the state law so that school administrators would have to live here.

Williams said, however, that he will not seek to force residency on the teachers who are also exempted by state law. The teachers have so many protections that they are “almost immune from any type of residency,” he said.

Coleen Walsh, acting president of the Springfield Administrators' Association, representing the school administrators, said she believes the state law, exempting her members from a residency requirement, should and will stay in effect.

“I think we want to attract the very best employees to run our buildings and develop our programs,” Walsh said. “I think that should be our number one criteria.”

Walsh added that she is a “proud” resident of Springfield. Her union represents 87 administrators, but does not represent principals who are non-union.

The residency requirement for school administrators is being pursued by Williams as the city’s own residency ordinance for municipal workers has been in effect for 17 years, but has been largely unenforced and ineffective, officials said.

Various municipal unions are exempt from the law including police and firefighters and many waivers are requested and granted, along with the law being largely unenforced, according to city officials.

A recent proposal to grant municipal employees a bonus of up to $1,000 a year to live in Springfield failed to gain council support, and was referred to committee for further review.

Williams said his proposal would be aimed at requiring residency for current school administrators and future administrators.

City Solicitor Edward M. Pikula said the home rule bill, if passed, would only exempt the city from the state law, and lead to governance by the existing city residence ordinance. That ordinance “is subject to challenge and enforcement is difficult if not impossible, in light of its application in the past.”